Written question asked by Lord Hylton (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Triesman (Labour) on Tuesday, 27 November 2007.

Prisons: Women

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:What responses they have so far received to the recent consultation paper on education in HM Prison Holloway; and whether their proposals take sufficient account of women's needs for mental health, life skills, personal development, childcare and parenting.

Answer: The release, for consultation, of the document Developing the Offenders' Learning and Skills Service: The Prospectus in September 2007 generated more than 700 electronic individual responses at a series of nine regional consultation events run by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), with an additional 108 detailed formal consultation responses having been received separately. The document seeks views on developing the offender learning delivery arrangements in prison establishments and probation areas across England. The development of the offender learning service will ensure the availability of provision focused on women's needs in terms of mental health, life skills, personal development, childcare and parenting. It recognises that an explicit focus upon employability and employment may often be less appropriate for women as compared with other cohorts of offenders.

Secondary information